is not filled, the Secretary may fill the vacancies by nominating for appointment other candidates from any of these sources who were found best qualified on examination for admission and not otherwise nominated.

(b)

If it is determined that, upon the admission of a new class to the Academy, the number of midshipmen at the Academy will be below the authorized number, the Secretary may fill the vacancies by nominating additional midshipmen from qualified candidates designated as alternates and from other qualified candidates who competed for nomination and are recommended and found qualified by the Academic Board. At least three-fourths of those nominated under this subsection shall be from qualified alternates under paragraphs (2) through (8) of section 6954(a) of this title, and the remainder shall be from qualified candidates who competed for appointment under any other provision of law. An appointment of a nominee under this subsection is an additional appointment and is not in place of an appointment otherwise authorized by law.

(c)

The failure of a member of a graduating class to complete the course with his class does not delay the appointment of his successor.

The section is worded to indicate that all appointments are made by the President, and that, before appointment, prospective midshipmen are “nominees” or “candidates”, as appropriate.

In subsection (b) the provision authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to nominate candidates in the event nominations to fill vacancies under subsection (a) are not made by March fourth is omitted as covered by subsection (e), the purpose of which was to assure the entrance of a full class each year.

Reference in subsection (e) to the strength of the “brigade of midshipmen” is dropped, since there is no statutory requirement that the midshipmen at the Academy be so organized, and the term is a recognition of current organization only. The language authorizing the Secretary, in his discretion, to nominate additional midshipmen to meet the needs of the armed services but not to exceed the authorized strength of the Academy is changed to authorize the Secretary to “fill the vacancies by nominating additional midshipmen”. In exercising his discretion under this subsection, these factors are necessarily considered by the Secretary, irrespective of a specific provision so instructing him.

In subsection (f) the word “admission” is changed to the word “appointment”, since the admission of a person is a consequence of, and follows automatically from, his appointment. The statement of reasons for failure to complete the course is omitted as unnecessary.

1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–510, § 1322(a)(14), redesignated subsec. (b) as (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which read as follows: “The Secretary of the Navy shall, as soon as possible after the first of June of each year, notify in writing each Senator, Representative, and delegate in Congress of any vacancy that will exist at the Naval Academy because of graduation in the following year, or that may occur for other reasons, for which the member or delegate is entitled to nominate a candidate and nine alternates.”

1981—Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 97–60 redesignated subsecs. (d), (e), and (f) as (b), (c), and (d), respectively. Former subsec. (b) providing that a nomination following notification under subsection (a) be made by the fourth of March of the year following that in which notice of the vacancy was given and that, if the candidate died or declined the nomination, or if the nomination could not be made by reason of a vacancy in the membership of the Senate or the House of Representatives, the nomination could be made, as determined by the Secretary, not later than the date of the final entrance examination for that year, and former subsec. (c) providing that the nomination of candidates to fill vacancies for the District of Columbia, and selection of all candidates at large, be made by the fourth of March of the year in which the candidates were to enter the Academy, were struck out.